Flexible writing instrument

ABSTRACT

A writing instrument comprises a flexible sleeve having a tube with ink therein. The writing instrument may be molded as needed into any shape or form desired by a user thereof. The flexible writing instrument is easily formed and positioned about a hand and wrist of a user providing a convenient, readily accessible, and comfortable alternative to traditional writing instruments.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority of prior provisional Application Ser.No. 60/620,436 filed Oct. 21, 2004, the entire content of which isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to writing instruments, and more particularly toa flexible writing instrument which may be molded and formed intovarious shapes and configurations.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Writing instruments including pens and pencils are used by persons ofall ages and working in all industries. Airline attendants need a pen ontheir person for various reasons. Students need a writing instrumentavailable at all times when in a classroom setting and must store orcarry the writing instrument during class changes. Similarly, travelersoften need a writing instrument and are required to either carry one orstore one in a travel bag or hand bag, thereby causing an inconvenienceat a later time when the writing instrument needs to be retrieved.

As is often the case, a person lays a writing instrument such as a pendown on a support surface whereupon the pen either rolls to a newlocation on the support surface, rolls off of the support surface, or ismisplaced, or is stolen. Alternatively, a person either attaches awriting instrument to an item of clothing or stores the instrument in apocket, bag, or other means of storage and transport thereby requiringtime to store and retrieve the writing instrument.

Heretofore, solutions for convenient storage and transport of writinginstruments have included pocket protectors and clips, writinginstruments attached to a lanyard or string, and the like. Pocketprotectors add bulk to a wearer's clothing and are susceptible tofalling out of a pocket and becoming misplaced. Further, not all pocketprotectors and clips provide protection against pen leakage and damageto clothing. Pens secured onto lanyards and the like are often used byairline attendants and various other service personnel. Althoughnormally convenient, hanging pens can interfere with a wearer'sactivities, and in particular activities requiring the wearer to bendover or lean forward. In addition to interfering with tasks and possiblylimiting mobility, lanyard pens and the like are often secured byattaching the lanyard to the cap of the pen which allows the body of thepen to become unattached and thereafter misplaced. Further, a pen simplysecured onto a wearer's clothing or identification badge, etc. can oftencause damage and stains to clothing.

The present invention comprises a flexible writing instrument whichovercomes the foregoing and other difficulties which have long sincecharacterized the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects ofthe invention, a flexible writing instrument comprises a flexible sleevehaving an ink tube therein. The sleeve is bendable and may be formedinto various shapes.

In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, a flexiblewriting instrument comprises a flexible sleeve having a distal andproximal end. An ink tube having a writing tip and point on one endthereof is received in the sleeve until the tip matingly engages thedistal end of the sleeve. An outer covering is then applied around theouter surface of the sleeve thereby making the writing instrument morecomfortable and easier to grip.

The writing instrument may be formed into various shapes. For example,the writing instrument may be wrapped and formed around a user's wristuser such that the tip is situated near the fingertips facilitatingquick access for writing. Once the writing instrument is secured aroundthe wrist, the user is able to perform other activities and move aboutwithout having to attend to placing and picking up the writinginstrument. The writing instrument is also useful in situations wherethere is little room in which to write. Instead of having to manipulatethe length of a traditional pen or pencil, generally about 6 incheslong, the user can bend the proximal end of the writing instrumentfacilitating use of the writing instrument in more compact spaceswithout any awkward positioning or discomfort to the wrist and hand.

The writing instrument of the present invention is useful for persons ofall ages and employment. Students can secure the writing instrument totheir wrist and be prepared to write at all times and eliminate the needfor storing the writing instrument during transport between classes.Travelers can secure the writing instrument around a wrist withouthaving to access a bag or other storage container when the writinginstrument is needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had byreference to the following Detailed Description when taken in connectionwith the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of a flexible writinginstrument comprising a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the writing instrument shown in FIG. 1;and

FIG. 3 is a top view of the writing instrument shown in FIG. 1comprising additional components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof,there is shown a flexible writing instrument 10 comprising a firstembodiment of the invention formed around a hand 12 and wrist 14. Thewriting instrument 10 comprises a flexible sleeve 16 having a distal endand a proximal end. Received in the sleeve 16 is a tube 18 having ink 20stored therein and a point 24 on one end thereof. The point 24 comprisesa ball enabling transferring of the ink onto a writing surface. Asupportive writing tip 22 mounted at the distal end of the sleeve 16comprises an orifice enabling the point 24 to protrude therethrough. Thetube 18 is received into the sleeve 16 until the tip 22 matingly engagesthe distal end of the sleeve 16. An outer covering 26 is secured aroundthe sleeve 18 providing a soft surface for secure gripping andcomfortable use of the writing instrument 10. The writing instrument 10can be bended or molded into any shape or form desired by a user. Asshown in FIG. 1, the writing instrument 10 is useful for positioningsecurely about the hand 12 and wrist 14 of a user thereby facilitating aconvenient, readily accessible, comfortable alternative to traditionalwriting instruments.

The flexible sleeve 16 and tube 18 comprise a polymer material such asflexible polyvinyl chloride or other suitable materials known to thoseskilled in the art to be malleable for repeated bending and shapingwhile maintaining a desired form or shape. The tip 22 comprises a rigidmaterial such as a rigid polymer and other suitable materials known tothose skilled in the art of manufacturing writing instruments. Thecovering 26 comprises a soft material such as fabrics, foams, and otherlightweight materials used for padding and coverings known to thoseskilled in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown the writing instrument 10comprising a grip 30 secured around the covering 26 near the tip and adecoration 32. The grip 30 provides an ergonomic cushion and support forfingers of a user and comprises a soft material such as foam or rubberknown to those skilled in the art. Although the writing instrument isshown with a particular shaped decoration 32, the writing instrument maybe manufactured with numerous decorations of varying shape and style.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a writing instrument 40comprising a second embodiment of the present invention. Many of thecomponent parts of the writing instrument 40 are substantially identicalin construction and function to component parts of the writinginstrument 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 and described hereinabovein conjunction therewith. Such identical component parts are designatedin FIG. 4 with the same reference numerals utilized above in thedescription of the kiosk 10, but are differentiated therefrom by meansof a prime (′) designation.

The writing instrument 40 comprises a rotating tip 42 mounted on thedistal end of the tube 18′. The tip 42 has an orifice in the distal endthereof enabling a lead member 44 to pass therethrough. The tip furthercomprises threads on the inner surface thereof for engaging the leadmember 44 housed within the tube 18′ for extraction therefrom andretraction back therein. The user of the writing instrument rotates thetip 42 in a clockwise direction to extract the lead member 44 beyond thedistal end of the tip and thereafter rotates the tip 42 in acounterclockwise direction to retract the lead member 44 back within thetube 18′. The tip 42 may be fabricated from a polymer material, metals,or other suitable material known to those skilled in the art ofmanufacturing writing instruments.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated inthe accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing DetailedDescription, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements,modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

1. A writing instrument comprising: a flexible sleeve having a proximalend and a distal end; a tube for storing ink therein; a quantity of inkstored in the tube; the point providing means for transferring ink fromthe tube onto a writing surface; a supportive tip comprising an orificeenabling protrusion of the point therethrough; a covering surroundingthe outer surface; wherein the tube is received into the sleeve untilthe supportive tip matingly engages the distal end of the sleeve.
 2. Thewriting instrument according to claim 1 further comprising a gripsecured around the covering providing cushion and support for use of thewriting instrument.
 3. The writing instrument according to claim 1wherein the sleeve comprises flexible polyvinyl chloride.
 4. The writinginstrument according to claim 1 wherein the tube comprises flexiblepolyvinyl chloride.
 5. The writing instrument according to claim 1wherein the outer covering comprises fabric.
 6. The writing instrumentaccording to claim 1 wherein the outer covering comprises foam.
 7. Awriting instrument comprising: a flexible sleeve having a proximal endand a distal end; a tube for storing lead therein; a quantity of leadstored in the tube; a rotating tip mounted on the distal end of thetube; the rotating tip comprising an orifice enabling protrusion of thelead therethrough; the rotating tip comprising threads on the innersurface thereof for engaging the lead; the rotating tip rotated in aclockwise direction to extract lead from the tube for protrusion throughthe orifice; the rotating tip rotated in a counterclockwise direction toretract lead back into the tube; a covering surrounding the outersurface; and wherein the tube is received into the sleeve until therotating tip matingly engages the distal end of the sleeve.
 8. Thewriting instrument according to claim 7 further comprising a gripsecured around the covering providing cushion and support for use of thewriting instrument.
 9. The writing instrument according to claim 7wherein the sleeve comprises flexible polyvinyl chloride.
 10. Thewriting instrument according to claim 7 wherein the tube comprisesflexible polyvinyl chloride.
 11. The writing instrument according toclaim 7 wherein the outer covering comprises fabric.
 12. The writinginstrument according to claim 7 wherein the outer covering comprisesfoam.